Comments on: MLW RSC-13′s 1721, 1717, 1710 are westbound at Aldershot East. These unique 1000hp locos were built with 6-wheel trucks for light rail and later converted to 4-wheel. For some reason, around Hamilton, we called these locos “Tractors.” The 1700′s were all gone by the mid 70′s but were a common site hauling freight on the Grimsby Sub.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 16:52:10 +0000

It’s so true.. I heard a McIntosh & Seymour powered RS-1 on the LAL this past summer and it definately has a tractor type sound to it. Very different..

By: pierre fournier

pierre fournier — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 22:11:40 +0000

They had swapped their 3-axle trucks with downgraded MR-18,s trucks.

By: Dave Burroughs

Dave Burroughs — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 21:21:16 +0000

Ah, I forgot that they had 539′s in them. That would make the difference in sound.

By: Extra 1014

Extra 1014 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 18:19:33 +0000

The RS-2 & 3′s have the ALCO Model 244 engines, in the RSC-13 the McIntosh & Seymour Model 539 engines were used. In my experience, the 539 seemed to me to have a bigger bark in the exhaust. Giving it a good tractor type quality.

By: Dave Burroughs

Dave Burroughs — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 14:01:01 +0000

Arnold, now that you mention it, John Deere might be the perfect description. They should have had the same sound as an RS-3 but the 1700′s just sounded a little different.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 12:14:52 +0000

Just listening to these things would assure the name “tractors” fits. A locomotive version of John Deere. )

By: crr200

crr200 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 07:00:54 +0000

Power is amazing.